Stop n Go
by AppleL0V3R
Summary: One-shot collection. Imp. She had no idea just what a little terror she could be, affecting him so with just a glance and a giggle before tittering off behind her mother's skirts. ItaSaku. One-shot. AU. PWP. Halloween.
1. T Shirt

**Title:** T-Shirt

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Sasuke was getting sick of Sakura taking his shirts so he improvised. "Sakura, why are you wearing my shirt?" Itachi asked with intent eyes.

**Word Count:** 1,615

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Edited on:** December 1, 2011

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><p>Black eyes narrowed slightly when the door opened to reveal the owner of the house. It wasn't the fact that her hair was mussed and her eyes half open, both telling him he'd woken her – in the middle of the day no less – that bothered him. Or even the fact that her shorts were even shorter than short-shorts. It was the oversized shirt that almost covered her pink shorts. She was wearing one of his shirts again.<p>

He recalled letting her use it when they were finishing up a mission because she'd torn hers in half. Not one of the males of Team Seven had wanted to travel the rest of the way with her in only a bra and skirt, even if the sight was nothing new to any of them. And since Sasuke was the only one of the group who had a shirt that would fit her and that she wouldn't complain about, he had grudgingly handed one of his spares over to her.

It was a situation he was used to. In fact, if he never bothered to actually retrieve any of the clothes he let her borrow, he was pretty sure he'd be missing half of his wardrobe.

After years of it, he'd gone from uncomfortable and at a loss to nonchalant to annoyed. He wanted her to stop taking without returning them promptly. So he was going to put his foot down this time around and put an end to it.

"Sasuke?" Green eyes blinked back at him, "What's up?" She opened the door wider so as to allow him entrance to her home. He took it without a word, and made a bee line for her couch as she headed for the kitchen. "Tea?"

Normally he wasn't one to beat around the bush, but as much as he wanted the shirt thievery to end, there was an actual reason for him turning up on her doorstep right then. "Don't tell me you worked late again."

She shrugged almost lazily by way of answer – a sound yes. "I'll take that as a yes."

He snorted softly; no doubt she'd worked another graveyard shift because one of her nurses had suckered her into doing their shift for them. The rosette was just too softhearted to say no, even though her analytical nature refused to let her be fooled by the crap he'd seen her underlings give her. They did it because she let them get away with it most of time, not that he had room to talk. He was rankled with her right now because he'd let her get away with taking his shirts without returning them.

When she came back in the vicinity of him with two mugs, instead of grabbing the proffered drink, he grasped the bottom of the shirt and tugged, "You're wearing one of my shirts again."

Sakura smiled happily, "Mhmm, I love how comfortable your shirts are."

He huffed softly in turn, letting the shirt go in favor of the mug before she took it back. "Sakura, either return the shirts you borrow or stop borrowing them."

Green eyes blinked. "You're the one who lets me borrow them as I recall."

"And then you never return them unless I come and get them."

Sakura looked him straight in the eye. "Does it bug you?"

He met her gaze evenly. "I would like it if half my wardrobe didn't look like it was missing."

She paused for a moment. "Alright. I get better about giving you back your shirts after I borrow them, satisfied?"

Black eyes didn't even blink as he nodded curtly and moved directly into details about their upcoming mission. Because he knew that even though Sakura had agreed to compromise, she was going to remember it for the next time around.

Which meant he was going to have to come up with a way to get her to actually stop.

And he had a pretty good idea of how to go about that.

* * *

><p>It was only by chance that he saw her right then; he had originally planned to be home earlier that day, but had to delay. And because of it, just as he was heading back to the main house after reporting, he'd seen his little brother's female teammate walking down the main road toward the exit of the compound.<p>

Such a thing normally wouldn't have caught more than a passing glance from him. He'd dealt with the woman before, at family events and when they'd both been at house at the same time. And on the odd occasion he took her on a mission. She was one of the few who had managed to earn his respect and he considered her almost a friend.

Sakura was known to come and go because his parents had already accepted her as one of their children along with Uzumaki. And since they weren't directly passing each other, he normally wouldn't have taken notice of her. But as she walked past him, he saw the dark blue skirt she wore along with the strikingly familiar black t-shirt. His t-shirt.

He paused for a split second, glancing at the few houses he had left. Deciding it wouldn't take more than a moment, he doubled back to catch up to her. "Haruno."

She stopped in her tracks and turned to him, a surprised look settled on her face. "Uchiha, do you need something?"

He glanced down pointedly, "No. I am merely curious as to why you are wearing one of my shirts."

Surprise turned to shock and she quickly looked down and then back at him with confusion. "I…" Itachi raised an eyebrow in askance. "I borrowed this from Sasuke on a mission we just got back from."

Dark eyes stayed carefully blank as he considered that piece of information. He could think of more than one occasion when his younger brother had grumbled about his teammate taking his shirts without returning them. Which meant that this was his solution to making her stop. Knowing his brother the way he did, Sasuke had probably told Sakura to quit, but the rosette hadn't managed to completely break her habit. So he had resorted to putting her in a possibly uncomfortable situation to make sure that it wasn't going to repeat itself any time soon. The thought of having a talk with his precious otouto about his choice of persuasive methods, crossed his mind, but he decided there was a better way to go about this situation.

He was left with one simple question: how to proceed with such knowledge in mind.

Itachi tilted his head, letting black hair spill over his shoulder in the process. "Is that so?"

She nodded numbly, pink eyebrows drawing together, and he could see the gears turning in that bright mind of hers. Slowly her green eyes started to narrow as she, too, came to the conclusion that he had. And the young doctor didn't seem too happy with the realization, if her reaction was any indication. "My apologies, Uchiha. It seems I need to have a talk with my teammate." Sakura paused for a moment, as if remembering something. Tipping her head backwards, she gave him a sunny smile. "I will have your shirt back in your possession before the end of the day, I promise."

He too paused, deliberating for a moment. A curiosity crossed his mind and he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he were to act on it. "That's quite alright. As I said, I was curious why you were wearing my shirt."

She froze for a moment, her face going blank in the process. He found it more than a little interesting how the lack of expression obviously stemmed from lack of thought. Just as quickly as it had happened though, she was reanimated once more, her dumbfounded surprise tucked away. Instinctively, he knew it was so she could analyze it once the two of them parted. The bright smile returned to her face, but this one with hints of curiosity and suspicion. "Thank you, Uchiha."

With one curiosity satisfied, another seemed to grow in its place. "You are wearing my shirt, Sakura. I doubt we are truly on a formal basis anymore."

The Uchiha heir was beginning to find that watching her face go slack with surprise like that was an entertainment he didn't think he was going to tire of any time soon. Dark eyes glanced in the direction of his home again, then back to the petite woman before him still clearly grasping for something to say.

How curious.

Perhaps this was part of the reason why his little brother kept this one particular female so close to him. And if it was, what were the other reasons Sasuke always protected and cherished her? Sable eyes narrowed thoughtfully, even as he made his next decision.

He deliberately stepped to the side and held out an arm for her in a gentlemanly gesture. "It would seem we are heading in the same direction, Sakura." Itachi kept his eyes focused on her face as he watched her continue to react.

All she could manage was nod, her green eyes still wider than normal and her speech inaccessible.

How curious indeed.


	2. House of Cards

**Title:** House of Cards

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Because no matter how splendid, everything soon collapsed in on itself. Just like the house of cards they'd built as kids.

**Word Count:** 1,210

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** I'm not entirely satisfied with the ending. So if it doesn't feel finished, please tell me and I will add more to it.

Edit**ed on:** February 5, 2012

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><p>Her high-pitched laughter rang out like a bell, and her green eyes were wide with enthusiasm. After all, it wasn't every day she got to play with her favorite raven-haired hero, and even less common that they had the time to play more than a round or two of any given card game. But right then, they had the time for themselves. He had come home early from a mission and had an hour to spare that he had chosen to spend with her.<p>

The older boy was always so busy that she seldom caught even a glimpse of him in the streets or at the playgrounds. She never had the time to ask him all the questions she wanted, or the time for him to answer, but she knew him. Not just of him or who he was, but she was positive that she knew him. She knew that his calmness was just a small indicator of his peaceful nature, and she knew that he liked having conversations with her even if her vocabulary wasn't as big as his. She knew he was content with his life, but wouldn't mind having more time with his family. Most of all, she knew that he was sad, and that the few times she could spend any extended amount of time with him, he was exhausted of the emotions and people who controlled his life.

So when he was there, she told herself she would make him smile at least once. That was all she wanted, but every time she forgot herself in their card games. Yet in the end, he always smiled at least once, and if she was especially lucky, he laughed.

Itachi was so painfully polite that she loved being treated to his happy nature when he was willing to show it.

Even when she lost, she didn't mind all that much. To her, a loss wasn't about not winning a card game; it was about getting a chance to show her pouting face to amuse Itachi. As far as she concerned, any game was a win for her.

So she wasn't very put out when he laid the winning card, a serene expression on his face as dark eyes flicked up to hers. They watched as she huffed and jutted out her lower lip in the cute, sulky way of hers, a smile still lilting her lips. "Aw, no fair, Itachi."

He hummed thoughtfully. "You did lose fair and square, Sakura, I fail to see the unfairness."

She kept up her façade only a moment longer before she was on her feet and tackling him to the ground. She erupted into giggles at his briefly stunned countenance and turned to full blown laughter when he smiled softly. A hint of deviousness entered his warm smile. It was the only forewarning she got before he flipped them over and pinned her down so as to tickle her unhindered. By the time he decided to be merciful was when she finally managed to get the word 'stop' completely out in one go.

For a moment he rested all his weight between his knees and elbows as he leaned over the younger child. The moment was just long enough to sober her and allow her to be ensnared unmercifully in his dark eyes and wonder at the pretty, blue slivers that made all the difference between his indifferent sable and lively dark blue. As a child, she could only think how pretty they were and that they were Itachi's eyes. She would always know Itachi by his pretty eyes.

When he pushed up to his knees and got off her, she let her body stay sprawled the way it had stilled during that moment for a second or two before she sat up. Her childish grin was back in full force and her young mind already whirling with the possibilities of what to do next.

After all, she knew that she wouldn't get to keep her Itachi very long, and it had already been longer than he usually stayed. "Can you stay for another game?"

He paused only momentarily, and she let out a relieved breath when he nodded. "Do you want to play a new game?"

That was all the incentive she needed to explain the new game and the complexities of building a house of cards. He hummed periodically as she continued to chatter and they began the process of building.

And when it fell in on itself on the sixth row up, she pouted before laughing. He smiled, and though there was a quality to it that she didn't quite catch, the discrepancy was gone when she looked up with pleading green eyes. He resolutely acquiesced to building another house of cards.

* * *

><p>Thinking back on that day, Sakura marveled how she had completely missed how that one simple game would mirror her life.<p>

How her world had seemed to collapse when Itachi killed his family. Yet they had managed a new start when she was a teenager and he had sought her out; needless to say that particular reunion hadn't been pleasant, but it had been the foundation. Although she had remembered how he was sparingly there in her childhood, and if they were going to associate once more, she demanded he be in her life more often. That same look she remembered from young when he had to leave but she wanted him to stay just a little longer had entered his eyes, but, just like he did as a child, he agreed.

And so they slowly started building their 'house' again, but this one had more close calls then the last one ever did. She wasn't sure if it made it farther either, but Sakura wasn't entirely sure that it mattered anymore anyway. The number of rows didn't change that the house had inevitably fallen in on itself, after all.

And when the second house did, part of her wanted to call it quits there. But back on that day, she remembered the second house of cards falling and Itachi promising that the next time they could play together, they would build an even bigger house.

But that was about the time of the Uchiha Massacre, and she'd never built that third house of cards. Not physically anyhow.

So as she watched him breathe deep and even on that plain, white makeshift hospital bed, she decided. If he pulled through, she would ask if he could build another 'house' with her.

Part of her wanted him to say yes, and the other wanted him to say no.

But first, she knew he would have to wake. And that was already a slim enough chance as it was.


	3. Deck of Cards

**Title:** Deck of Cards

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** He loved to play even if only for hours or by himself in a dark and lonely room. That's why, when she joins him, he doesn't know how to react. Because no one's ever bothered.

**Word Count:** 2,000

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** I feel like I mutilated Itachi's personality in this one. I wanted to explore the idea of Sakura constantly bothering him without making it a hateful or only irritating situation for Itachi. And I feel like in the process, I might have given him something akin to Stockholm Syndrome. If any of you feel the same way, then feel free to give some pointers as to how to fix that.

**Edited on:** February 26, 2012

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><p>He flipped three more cards over and found that he could move the queen to the king and from there a jack to that queen. He turned the face-down card that had been under the jack over to find a three. This game was so familiar to him; he could play it without even thinking about what he was doing. It was one of the few ways he could pass time when he had time to himself, time to simply think and enjoy the solitude he rarely had.<p>

As a homicide detective, he was used to all of his time being eaten up by cases with their leads and paperwork always demanding his attention. And when he wasn't working, there was a family event to attend that his parents never let him skip out on. So in the sparse hours he ever had to himself, he played a game of solitaire. If he was away from home but didn't need to be at the office, he was typically at a local cafe that served almost addictive teas and had workers who knew how not to be nosy.

It was the perfect way to spend his downtime.

Until, one time, a pink-haired woman at least five years his junior sat down in the empty seat across from him. He fought the urge to blink at her as she nonchalantly picked up a menu and ask him how his day was going. When he didn't answer immediately, she lowered the laminated paper to look at him with curious eyes.

After a moment, she seemed to remember something very important, emitting a quiet 'oh' as she did so. Setting down the menu, she extended a hand to him. "I'm Haruno Sakura, I guess you don't remember me." No, he clearly did not. He searched his memories for when he had met her; one would think a pink-haired, green-eyed young woman would be easy to remember, but he could only draw a blank. She seemed to be able to read that by his countenance as she nodded understandingly. "It was a long time ago. You were still in high school, and I had only gone to your house once." Her eyes seemed to take on a faraway look for a moment before she shook her head. "Any way, I'm a childhood friend of your little brother. I'm pretty sure we were introduced way back when."

If she was telling the truth, then he knew why he didn't remember her. As a child, and even now, Sasuke was grumpy and hard to get along with at the best of times. Any 'friends' that he met that were of the female persuasion were clearly just fawning over his brother, and the boy was too polite to be rude in front of his own family members. And for this fact, Itachi never bothered to even pay attention if he was introduced.

As if still reading his mind, she smiled and chuckled. "But of course, I guess I wouldn't be memorable with how many girls were always trying to be around him." She paused for a moment, humming softly as she thought about something. "But, if I remember correctly, you were introduced to Naruto, right?"

The detective most certainly remembered Uzumaki Naruto, the loud blonde-haired kid who constantly picked fights with Sasuke. Though, if memory served, the two were still good friends to this day, mind boggling as that fact was. But he didn't see how the obnoxious friend had anything to do with this woman.

"Well, I'm a childhood friend of him too. The three of us were practically joined at the hip."

With this new bit of information, he searched his memories again. This time he did catch a snatch of her in there, more of a snapshot in his mind. It was when she was a child still, and the three little kids had been covered in dirt and grime as his mother tried to clean them up. All three had an abashed expression as they refused to meet the mother's eyes. Itachi hadn't bothered to ask what had happened and only noted that Sasuke had ended up grounded for it. The little boy hadn't told him why he was in trouble or what had led it it, and his own parents hadn't made more than a reference to it after the fact.

Still, he nodded. "I remember you."

Those three simple words made her grin brightly. "I thought mentioning that I'm friends with Naruto also would jog your memory." She picked the menu back up and proceeded to look it over almost lazily. "You didn't answer my question about how your day was though."

Even if he had placed her in his memory, he still didn't understand why she thought she could simply sit down at his table and ask how he was doing like they were friends or something. After all, he still didn't even remember her name. "Why did you approach me?"

Green eyes peeked over the menu again, catching his. "Because Sasuke wanted me to give you a message." Then she chuckled, "I promise I don't make a habit of invading people's privacy for no reason."

Part of him wondered why she didn't just start off with that, and the rest of him realized that he would have reacted the same way whether she had or not. So he simply nodded his acceptance, motioning for her to tell him whatever his brother wished him to know.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I warned Sasuke that I wasn't a messenger and that I would probably get on your nerves. So, tell me how your day has been _and then_I'll tell you your brother's message."

Pursing his lips, he debated the pros and cons of simply giving in the way she wanted. If he did, then she would tels him the message and leave him alone; if he didn't, she'd sticks around. So he conceded, telling her his day has been fine and earned himself a grin for the reply. But then she told him how her day was 'hectic, Sasuke and Naruto are pains in my ass at the best of times, like usual, and my other friend Ino was less than helpful on the matter' rather than Sasuke's message.

He found himself coerced into an entire conversation and caught between curiosity and annoyance when she finally deigned to tell him the message and leave him to his lonesome. And before he could contemplate the meeting, he realized that she took up all the free time he had left before having to go to his parents' house for a family event. With the realization was more irritation and reluctance to leave his unfinished game, but he did so with the hope that the encounter was a one-time thing.

* * *

><p>Except the next time he saw her, it was on his next break and he had the sinking feeling that this was more than just a coincidence. He almost steered himself toward another table than his usual, but by the time he thought to, she had already noticed him and was waving. Ever the polite man that he was raised to be, he begrudgingly kept heading toward her and settled into his normal seat.<p>

"So," She started, her eyes serene but looking vaguely bemused by something. "I'm bothering you again because I feel that you deserve forewarning. Sasuke and Naruto made some bet or other, and I think it'll end up affecting you."

Dark, almost black eyes stared back at her. He nodded once, hoping that with that she would be on her way and he could finally play a game of solitaire to clear his head of the long day he'd had thus far.

But she didn't seem inclined to go anywhere just yet. In fact, a waitress came by with a tea, a new brand by the scent of it, for him and a coffee for her. She must have ordered already, and told them to wait until he got there before coming with it. Which meant that she wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Just as she had the last time, she proceeded to ask him about his day. Only this time, she gave him an amused look as she tacked on that 'fine' was not the same thing as a long day. He wasn't sure how she knew his day had been anything other than fine and found himself chargined that she would stick her nose into his business in the first place. So he responded to her question with a deliberate 'fine' and she rolled those unique, green eyes of hers.

But she didn't press the matter, instead telling him, as she had before, how her day had been up to that point.

He itched to pull out his deck of cards as she spoke, but instead occupied his hands by nursing his steaming cup of tea, his mind trying to find ways to either make her leave or to make sure that she didn't keep up this habit of taking up the sparse free time he had.

Yet by the end of the meeting, he found he had to get to his next destination, and she had taken up all of his time again. This time, he made a mental note to catch Sasuke and figure out why she was doing this and how to stop it from happening again.

When his next off time came around, he debated not going to the cafe. Especially when a short talk with Sasuke provided him with the knowledge that the young woman was up to something and that wouldn't end well for his solitude. Though at least, the conversation had also yielded the information that her name was Haruno Sakura, and from it he realized that she was an esteemed doctor who practically ran the public hospital by herself.

In the end, he found himself seated at the same table as her once more, but this time he was armed with information she hadn't told him. And he hoped that would give him the edge he needed to chase her away.

No such luck.

If anything, revealing in a candid manner that he knew exactly who she was only seemed to bemuse her and prompt her to ask when he'd bothered to figure that out or if he had remembered that all along.

And so the challenge began. His irritation at having his free time invaded was quickly forgotten in favor of catching her off guard and surprising her as much as possible. In some ways, he would have preferred just tea and his deck of cards; in other ways, he found that tea, a deck of cards, and Sakura would make for a more enjoyable free time. At some point, he made the decision that having her invade his personal time wasn't such a bad thing, even if she was still very irritating. He could live with having her across the table as he played a game of solitaire and spoke to her.


	4. Bells

**Title:** Bells

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Perhaps it's the noisy bell around her neck, but he can't help but stare at her. It's all Sasuke's fault, really.

**Theme:** 50 Scenes LJ challenge (#47 – Bells)

**Word Count: **1,650

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** I can just see Sasuke's reaction at the end of this. Well, actually I can imagine it throughout the one-shot. And honestly I picture him amused, going from 'I'll show you' to 'Ha! Take that Itachi' and finally ending with 'jackpot'.

**Edited on:** May 17, 2012

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><p>Being stealthy, and silent by extension, was a must for shinobi; without the ability, they could easily be caught and killed. Sakura fell into neither category though, not that she minded. She wasn't built for stealth missions and when she was on them, she was adept enough to be able to keep her skin completely intact. And that was always good enough for her.<p>

However, it seemed that she'd taken to wearing a new accessory while she was within the gates of Konoha. And to her credit, she hadn't started it, hadn't put it there either; but hell, it irritated Itachi. Because to the silent prodigy, a noisy bell that made noise at her slightest shift was too loud and even in passing irked him. Every time he was in the vicinity of her, he had the urge to rip the little, golden thing from its place on the green ribbon around her neck.

He knew this was all Sasuke's doing.

But he'd never once imagined that a small disagreement between brothers would cause the younger boy's teammate to constantly wear such an annoying contraption. He was never, never, ever again going to argue with his otouto about pet peeves and patience. But first and foremost, he would deal with the innocent Haruno girl.

And at midday, he knew exactly where to find her. Sakura was always home about this time, provided she was within Konoha's gates. He knew this because in times past, when he'd gone looking for her to patch up an injury that he didn't feel warranted the long wait at the hospital, he'd found her, every time, settled on her worn couch, eating and doing something that involved paper or patients. So on an errand out of the house, he decided now was as good a time as any to visit the young woman.

As he knew he would, he found her in the living room of her cozy apartment, eating an apple and writing something that looked like a medical procedure as it certainly wasn't a file or a report. He knocked lightly, more a formality than anything else. He hadn't bothered to hide his chakra signature as he knew that her senses were astute enough to pick up on him at least subconsciously. She didn't move an inch or glance up from the parchment in front of her as she reached over and popped another slice of green apple into her mouth. In the time it took her to chew and swallow, he had crossed the living room and skirted the table so he could pluck her writing utensil out of her hand.

She pursed her full lips into a look of mild agitation, but that didn't stop her from smiling pleasantly when she looked up to acknowledge him. "And how have you managed to hurt yourself this time?" Sharp green eyes trailed down his body, clearly looking for an injury and subsequently she frowning after finding none.

He waited patiently for her to meet his gaze again. When she did, he leaned forward and lifted his hand to indicate the small golden bell around her neck. "Do you have any idea how noisy that is?"

The medic blinked, clearly thrown by the rhetorical question, her hand absently rising to grab the object of his irritation as the frown deepened to a scowl. Confusion, then surprise and finally indignation settled on her pretty face. "I hardly see how that is a problem to you. After all, it's not as if we see each even once a month." The hard edge in her tone bespoke the threat she was really saying. He had known before approaching her that she would not take kindly to being told to remove the bell-necklace; after all, she had taken to wearying it daily. Whatever pretense Sasuke had given it to her under, it had become a symbol of something important.

But it grated on his nerves, and he was certain that if he could figure out why she was wearing it, he could persuade her to remove it. "It is unorthodox."

She rolled her expressive eyes. "Yeah? Well, it was a gift from _your brother_, and since the boy is practically the example of stealth, I don't think I have anything to worry about." She paused then nodded her head toward the open front door. "Now, if you're not injured, I have some notes to finish and a shift to start." _Please leave_.

He ignored the underlying message in favor of leaning even closer, not stopping until their faces were mere centimeters apart. Even without touching her, he could feel the way her body froze up and heard the distinct hitch of her breath, but it only lasted a moment. Unfortunately for her, that was all he needed to snag the green ribbon from her neck without her notice. But then there was fire in her eyes, a very fierce display that had him pausing before he pulled away. Realizing that his interest had been caught, he leaned forward once more to whisper in her ear before she could even open her mouth. "I will see you soon." He took a step back and nailed her with a half-lidded look that left her frozen and dumbfounded in her place. "Though, I cannot promise it will be because I am injured."

And with a puff of smoke and swirl of leaves, he was gone.

* * *

><p>A muffled growl forced its way out of her as she narrowed her eyes at the empty space that had been Uchiha Itachi just moments before. All she could think about was that the man had nerve to come into her home, tell her that a precious gift from Sasuke was annoying, take said gift by invading her personal space, <em>and then just disappear<em>. Not to mention she now had to clean up the mess on her floor. There was something wrong with that man because normal people didn't go around doing that kind of thing. Well, okay, her brothers did…and her generation…and the previous generation, _but_that was different.

And she was absolutely going to track down his sorry ass so that she could get pay back.

Directly after her shift, she started looking in every place she could think of that the Uchiha would be. But with each passing location that turned up empty, she started getting more frustrated and more exasperated. Apparently, just like the rest of his family, if he didn't feel like turning up, then he wasn't going to be found. Sasuke had complained more than once over the years that Itachi was the king of disappearing and remerging whenever he felt like it. And no amount of indignation and stubbornness was going to turn him up now, either. So more than a little peeved, and wanting her bell-necklace back, she stalked home with the intent of taking a nice, relaxing shower and curling up on the couch with a good book.

With her particular kind of luck, she wouldn't be surprised if he decided to reappear before morning. Of course, it would also be her luck that when she finally dozed off, Itachi was able to find the free time to stop by her home. At least, that was her assumption as when she'd woken up the next morning to her book falling on the floor with a 'thump,' her necklace was on top of a note on the coffee table not even two feet away from her. Her green eyes narrowed when she realized that he'd managed to pretty much invade her personal space again – especially since she didn't remember grabbing a blanket when she settled on her couch – without her so much as stirring.

Her necklace was one thing, but the invasions and the demands and the overall disregard of her person couldn't keep happening.

Reaching out slowly, she grabbed the note beneath the bell and pulled on it; her groggy mind didn't catch the fact that the clatter of metal against wood was the only sound made by her actions. In neat script was a simple: '_my apologies for my behavior_' written on the otherwise blank paper. Green eyes blinked once, and then rolled. At least one member of the Uchiha clan knew how and when to apologize, not that it had any chance of redeeming this particular Uchiha just yet. Maybe when he promised to be more mindful, and actually was for that matter, she would relent and appreciate something as simple as saying sorry.

Sighing, she dropped the note back on the table and grabbed the ribbon. Even to her tired mind, tying the ribbon behind her neck and resituating it was an absentminded effort at best. It was only when she had stood up, hand still lingering at the bell did she notice that something was off. Freezing in place, she experimentally tapped the bell, feeling it sway. But it didn't make the chiming sound that she'd grown used to in the short time she'd had it.

Not knowing whether to be agitated or amused, Sakura pursed her lips. Uchihas.


	5. Island: Marooned

**Title:** Marooned

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** Collection – Complete

**Summary:** Caught by the storms of the sea, Itachi finds himself with no one but a pissed off hostage, shipwrecked, and on an island he didn't even know existed. AU. Pirates. PWP

**Theme: **Island(s)

**Word Count:** 1,115

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Edited on****:** July 7, 2012

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><p>Sakura was going to murder someone. Anger seized her like a storm that refused to budge even for a moment; it grabbed hotly at her chest and pushed everything else in her mind aside. Most people don't wake up angry enough to commit homicide, and she was no exception. However it kicked in so damn fast that the feeling swirled and only rallied further when she realized exactly <em>why <em>she was feeling this way. Now if only there was _someone_ she could murder.

That would make her day.

What would make her day even more was if the person who got her into this whole bloody mess would be courteous enough to show up and stay still while she happily beat him. But she was kidding herself if she thought _that_ was going to happen. She snorted, and the dour thought of that _not happening _made her storm of anger and indignation and every other fiery emotion expand and condense even further. As soon as she got her hands on him, she told herself; it didn't have to be before she died. She didn't mind haunting him until he committed suicide due to perceived insanity.

Now _that_ would really make her day.

The pink-haired young woman rolled over onto her stomach and pushed herself away from the soft, almost-white sand. She glared at it, willing it to burn and not really caring that the beach had done nothing to her. At this point, her vicious temper didn't care who was to blame for this predicament she was in, just that she was in it.

What Sakura wasn't aware of was that the person responsible for marooning her on this godforsaken island was actually within sight; she just hadn't looked in the right direction to see him.

Uchiha Itachi was no happier with this situation than his hostage was. He'd had everything planned out, and it had been going marvelously, until the heavens had decided that calm weather and bright blue, cloudless skies were no longer appealing. And so he had sailed right into an unexpected thunderstorm, complete with large, crashing waves, fierce winds, icy rain, and of course, cackling lightening. So now, he was shipwrecked with a very pissed off spitfire of a young woman and no immediate plan to get back on track.

However, moping around and doing nothing wouldn't get him any closer to getting off this island and completing his goal. So rather than sit in the sand and stare out at the calm horizon of blue sea against blue sky, he got up and started by locating the pink-haired young woman. He spotted her easily enough; she was sprawled halfway on her side and halfway on her back, her long hair spread about in a matted mess of tangles and sea salt and sand. Her once-beautiful corset dress was in a similar state. A weaker man would have groaned, knowing that just because she wasn't moving didn't mean she was dead. And right then dead would have been ideal, if not for the fact that it undermined all the effort he put into kidnapping her.

But Itachi wasn't a weaker man; he was one of the most infamous and dangerous pirates to ever sail the seven seas. And she was just a spoiled brat with an impressive temper. He'd had no trouble abducting her and keeping her from escaping, even if that cellar below deck had helped to secure and muffle the loud little thing. But now she was unbound and definitely much more agitated, and he was the only target for her fury. It didn't matter, he told himself; a pair of lungs and shrieking voice was not going to deter him. With that resolution firmly in mind, he approached her nonchalantly, not even pausing when she rolled over onto her stomach and boosted herself onto her hands and knees. She paused like that before leaning back to settle on her haunches, her green eyes searching as she looked around herself. He stopped a mere meter off to her right side and waited for her to turn to him.

After a moment she did. She zeroed in him and in the next moment she was on her feet with a fire burning in her eyes. He took the time to marvel at it, not really caring that he was about to get an earful. Before she could start in he took a few more steps to close the distance, grabbing fistfuls of her torn dress as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You kidnapped me." She snarled angrily.

He watched her with languid eyes. "Abducted."

Scowling, she tried to yank away. "Doesn't matter!"

"Of course it does." Itachi answered mildly. "You are not a child; you are a young woman."

Green eyes blinked, uncertainty clouding her gaze as she seemed at a loss of how to respond to that. "I'm well aware of that."

"Then stop acting like a child." He reiterated. Clearly anger and their specific circumstances had hindered her unable to make the accurate deductions she was usually so swift to make.

Speaking of anger, hers was back tenfold now that she was not longer off balance. "I am not _acting_ _like a child_. You _abducted_ me on my bloody _wedding day_." Seeing her in that dress had left him breathless with awe and anger.

"You're not?" He narrowed his eyes at her thoughtfully, allowing his amusement at her anger to be seen. It served the little thing right. "This certainly looks like a temper tantrum to me." She growled low in her throat. At least she was done screeching as loud as she could, that meant she was done with all her bolstering and was just plain angry. He could deal with an angry Sakura; years of experience had taught him how. "As for your wedding day." He deliberately paused. "Well, it was _yours_."

She scowled impressively, but he was hardly perturbed. "What the _bloody hell_ is that supposed mean?"

He leaned down, giving her one of his rare devious looks. And she immediately backpedaled, squeaking faintly as she did so. "Because your hand – and every other part of you – is mine." And that was all the reason he needed.


	6. Imp

**Title:** Imp

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Uchiha Itachi and Haruno Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** She had no idea just what a little terror she could be, affecting him so with just a glance and a giggle before tittering off behind her mother's skirts. AU

**Word Count:** 2,280

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** I realize Halloween is more of an American holiday than anything, but it suits my purposes better than Japan's _Obon_ festival. And that's because the focus of this is the costumes and the candy and of course Itachi and Sakura as children, all of which are Halloween themes. For those of you who don't know, _Obon_ is focused on honoring the dearly departed as well as celebrating the time when the dead are closest to the living. Plus it tends to be a more-than-one-day affair, whereas Halloween is just on the night of the 31st. They're similar holidays, just with slightly different focuses, thus why I'm using Halloween and not any other.

**Last Edited:** November 2012

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><p>Itachi honestly didn't care much for these things. After all, dressing up in some costume and asking for candy from strangers had never seemed especially appealing to him even as a toddler, let alone now that he was a teenager with other interests to pursue. But he was stuck participating under threat of pain from his mother, more because Sasuke needed a chaperone than anything else. His parents were busy with important business matters and couldn't do it themselves. The thirteen-year-old had refused to dress up in anything other than his usual clothes, but had resigned himself to trailing behind Sasuke as the eight-year-old went door-to-door asking for candy. The younger boy was dressed in authentic samurai clothing, complete with a wooden sword tied carefully and tightly to his waist.<p>

The choice in costume didn't really surprise the elder brother for the simple reason that Sasuke had expressed an interest in all things swordsmanship and honor and family. A choice that was slightly ironic, considering the Uchiha family could trace its origins to shinobi families during that time period, not samurai. Not that Itachi had any intention of explaining this to his idealistic little brother; best to let him dream and actually have a moral compass unlike some of the older generations of their family. When the boy was older he would know better, but for now there was no harm in letting him have his innocence and ethics.

Itachi hung back, waiting at the sidewalk as his little brother darted up the walkway or driveway to get to the front door. He didn't have to remind the boy to mind his manners; their mother had drilled 'please' and 'thank you' into the two of them well enough that he did it all on his own. Left to his thoughts, with the occasional disruption of Sasuke skittering back to his brother's side, he allowed his mind to wander. The teenager was careful to keep track of their surroundings and where they were, but past that he barely paid any mind to his blathering brother or the people behind the doors and definitely not to the people they passed on the street. There was no need to as far as he was concerned. Sasuke seemed content with the nods and distracted responses he got out of his aniki, especially since he was more focused on the candy that the people in their homes offered.

This was how the two of them tended to pass this particular holiday, together and acknowledging one another but not truly paying attention to what the other had to say. Neither minded since they had other holidays to spend quality time together.

Keen dark eyes were drawn to a splash of pink hair that was only slightly darkened by the light and bright green eyes that had turned his way momentarily. The girl child couldn't be more than a few months older than Sasuke, what with her small stature and rounded cheeks. She was dressed in dark-green, pseudo monster skin, and he was pretty sure that she was trying to look like an imp. His attention was kept momentarily by her as he tried to place her in his memory since she seemed familiar and he was hardly ever mistaken about such things. An incessant tug on the hem of his shirt brought his attention back to the young boy beside him. Itachi canted his head slightly, indicating that he was listening.

But the samurai-dressed boy merely shook his head and pointed in the direction of the young girl he had noticed just moments before. "Do you know who the pink-haired girl is with Naruto and Ino, Aniki? I think her name is Sakura; she's in my class."

Itachi almost blinked in surprise, realizing that his brother's observation was right; the rosette was with two blonde children as well as a redheaded woman. The two blondes seemed to be arguing with each other quite heatedly, definitely Naruto and Ino he thought absently, while the unknown child walked along at the woman's side. She was the girl's mother, he assumed; that was the only reason the two could look so similar and act alike. Granted, there was the possibility that the older woman was just her sister, but with the two other children not more than a half-step behind, that seemed unlikely.

He watched them for a few more moments, absently telling his younger sibling that he didn't know who the unknown girl was, but if that's who he thought she was, then she must be. Big green eyes stared guilelessly back at him, clearly certain that she knew he was watching and didn't mind in only a way that child logic could allow. Itachi had never been so affected by some strange girl; he couldn't help but think she would be a heartbreaker when she got older. He wondered briefly if he'd ever get the chance to meet her, and if he did what he would think of her then. After a moment of simply looking at each other, she lifted a fisted, tiny hand to her mouth as giggles shook her small shoulders. Then the little imp-dressed girl was tittering off behind her mother's skirts.

He told himself he'd see her again. And if it didn't happen by coincidence then he would find a way to at least figure out who the little girl was because she intrigued him.

Despite his obvious interest in the pink-haired girl, she was already disappearing down the street, and Sasuke was tugging for the distracted older boy by way of reminding him to continue walking. Nodding absently, he followed at his normal sedate pace as the samurai-boy raced down the sidewalk before turning sharply and hurrying up the walkway to the next house for more candy. He was going to get sick of all things sweet at the rate he was going, the thirteen-year-old thought as he repressed the urge to roll his eyes and smirk.

A couple of hours put the moon almost high in the night sky, and a glance at his watch would have told him that it was nearly eleven o'clock. Itachi was more amused than amazed that his little brother was still on his feet and moving, even if it was at slow pace. He knew the reason the eight-year-old hadn't degenerated to asking to be carried was because he wanted to prove he was a big boy and didn't need his brother to transport him home after a night of trick-or-treating. Not that the older of the two wouldn't have been willing to piggyback the child, but he was proud that Sasuke was beginning to try to be his own person. He made sure to be just behind so as to catch the boy should he fall or stumble. Dark eyes were much more vigilant now than they had been at the start; with the late hour came dangers and he would be damned before he let the little boy in front of him get hurt.

When they were close enough to make out the faint outline of their large home, the dark eyes of the younger brother lit up, and suddenly most of his fatigue seemed to disappear as his back straightened and the load of candy he carried no longer weighed him down as it had just moments before. A chuckle escaped Itachi quietly as he lengthened his stride to keep up with the hurrying little boy. He knew once they were safely ensconced in the warmth of their home, the boy would take his bag to his chest and head straight for his room, after bidding their parents goodnight of course. Sasuke would be asleep before his head hit the pillow. Itachi debated what he wanted to do; he was hardly tired, but perhaps more than a bit exhausted and cold. A book and a cup of rich hot chocolate sounded best. A worn smile ghosted across his lips at the thought of curling up in his favorite chair that was equidistant between his electronic fireplace and his large window. He liked his chair, tucked close to the warmth of a fake fire, better in the winter than his usual windowsill seat that was typically just the right amount of cool with the summer night breeze. And he knew his mother would have hot chocolate already piping hot in the boys' personal mugs.

The brothers were less than a block away from their block when darkened pink caught Itachi's eyes, and he stopped abruptly. The pink was the color of the hair of the unidentified girl he had spotted hours before. He knew he wanted to meet her, see if she was just as much a terror up close as she was far away, but he also knew that it was rapidly nearing midnight, and his mother would assume the worst if they weren't back soon. These facts didn't stop him from taking a closer look and finding that the little girl looked lost and frightened and she was clearly alone. Had she been separated from her group by accident? Seeing an eight-year-old alone at this time of night, even if the neighborhood was a relatively safe one, made him immediately envision Sasuke in her position, and it damn near killed him.

That was all the incentive he needed to tell his precious little brother to go the rest of the way. He would be able to watch the boy enter the gates and make his way up the driveway, and from there he knew his parents would be watching. Dark eyes nearly identical to his own blinked curiously as he tilted his head, but nodded reluctantly when he was shooed on. Itachi promised that he would be in to say goodnight to him before long, and that seemed to be what he wanted to hear because he smiled a face-splitting smile and turned to rush towards their home. He watched until the boy disappeared past the gates, not really taking his eyes off the other child still in his sights.

Certain that his brother was safe, he made a beeline for the rose-haired girl. He was careful not to spook her any worse than she already was; it wouldn't do to have her run off in a scared panic, or begin screaming unnecessarily. "Are you lost?" He asked as gently as he could while making himself seem the farthest from intimidating or dangerous that he could. Despite his best efforts, she still jerked around to face him before immediately backing off a step. Clearly she didn't remember him. His young brain was quick to scramble for any way to show her that he wasn't like all the bad men she'd undoubtedly been warned of. Sure he was a stranger, but he wanted to help. His subconscious idly commented that this would be easier if he was her age, but he wasn't so –

Wait, that was it. "You're friends with Ino and Naruto, aren't you?"

Wary green eyes blinked a couple times before she nodded slowly. He repressed any sign of relief that she was no longer about to scream or bolt, or possibly even both. Still he found himself nodding. "Well, my little brother is a good friend of theirs, so how about you come home with me and we'll contact your mother?"

She watched him for a few more moments, her guard clearly down but something in her wanting to make sure that this wasn't the same as being offered candy to get into a car. With a quiver in her tone, she looked all around her once then back at Itachi, who still hadn't budged an inch. "Where do you live?"

One hand lifted, and her gaze zeroed in on it instantly, watching as he pointed to a house just a little more than a block away. "I live there."

Recognition filled her eyes. Good, he thought, she knows what Sasuke's home looks like, and that knowledge seemed to make her little shoulders sag with relief even as her face brightened. She proceeded to nodded in a happy, if exhausted sort of manner, as she agreed to let him lead her by the hand. A hand she didn't let go of for nearly an hour afterward. Not until her mother appeared in the foyer of the Uchiha home later that night with a worried, relieved smile on her face. By the time Sakura was home, she realized that she'd made a new friend out of both Itachi and Sasuke.


End file.
